Inga Abitova led the Russian team to bronze medal at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Birmingham on Sunday.

Reigning European 10000m champion Inga Abitova steered the Russian team to a third place finish at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Birmingham, Great Britain, on Sunday.

Abitova, 27, finished ninth in the women's race with a personal best of 1:09.53, while compatriot Silviia Skvortsova delivered her season best 1:09.56 to finish 10th. Elza Kireeva (23), Irina Timofeeva (27), Galina Alexandrova (32) ensured a podium finish for Russia.

Mary Keitany of Kenya, the 2007 silver medallist, bagged the gold medal in the women's race with a dominant run clocking a career best 1:06.36. She also led home a Kenyan team triumph in pleasant weather conditions.

Her compatriot Philes Ongori (1:07:38) took the silver after a sprint duel with Aberu Kebede of Ethiopia. Kebede had to settle for the bronze finishing a second behind at 1:07:39. Ethiopia took the second spot on overall standings.

Eritrean Zersenay Tadese lived up to his billing as pre-race favourite winning the men's race in a time of 59:35. This was the fourth successive world title for the 27-year-old.

Behind him Benard Kipyego (KEN) took the silver in 59:59, one second ahead of American Dathan Ritzenhein who grabbed the bronze medal.

Packing well as always Kenya took the team title with Eritrea in silver and Ethiopia with the bronze.

Hosts Great Britain led by Claire Hallissey (25) took the seventh spot on the women's team standings, while the French men's team spearheaded by Fouad Larhiouch (22) also made it to the top ten, finishing at the eighth place in the over all team rankings.